Press

HHB focuses on 5.1 file-based audio production at IBC

Monday 3rd August 2009

The venue for a number of new product announcements, the HHB stand 8.E54 is prominently located at the entrance to Hall 8, and provides a unique focal point for the important developments in audio technology at IBC. Showing products from Wohler, Dolby, Soundfield, Digidesign, Roland, Genelec and others alongside its own HHB product range, the HHB stand is where audio comes together at IBC, and where new, file-based acquisition, production and transmission workflows are clearly understood.

Receiving their European debuts on the HHB stand are the new Wohler AMP1-16-3G AMP1-E16-3G compact audio monitoring systems. Occupying just a single unit of rack space and therefore ideal for use in applications where space is at a premium, both devices offer 16 channel, multi-rate HD/SD-SDI and AES audio monitoring, plus the facility to handle ‘next generation’ 3G sources. The AMP1-E16-3G adds Dolby E and Dolby D capability.

Also new from Wohler is the RMT-170-HD, a 17" high-definition desktop/ rackmount LCD monitor featuring dual HD-SD/SDI inputs with loop through. By employing a 1920 x 1200 TFT/LCD screen, a perfect medium is reached in the scaling and interpolation process, providing superb imaging regardless of video format. The RMT-170-HD also provides a host of audio tools including level metering and built-in speaker monitoring of its dual stereo analogue inputs or SDI embedded audio. Another important new development being shown for the first time on the HHB stand is the new M-48/S-4000D personal monitoring system from Roland. Using the popular REAC pipe and further expanding a range of live production solutions that already includes the V-Mixer M-400 and S-4000 Digital Snake, the M-48 Live Personal Mixer offers musicians the flexibility to control exactly what they listen to during their performances.

HHB is also debuting the new Soundfield UPM-1, a 19-inch rack processor designed to create 5.1 surround from archive programme material which only has a stereo soundtrack. In addition to this application as a production tool, the UPM-1 can also be used to upmix stereo for 5.1 HD transmissions.

Combining a studio-quality mic capsule with a broadcast-quality Flash recorder, HHB’s own FlashMic Digital Recording Microphone is firmly established as the voice recorder of choice with leading broadcasters including the BBC World Service, BSkyB, CNN, Fox News, Al Jazeera, NBC, Classic FM, ORF and Danish Broadcasting. Alongside all four FlashMic models, HHB is also showing the full range of available Flash recorders with offerings from Sound Devices, Edirol, Fostex, Marantz, Nagra, Olympus, Sony, Tascam and Zoom, affording delegates the opportunity to compare the relative merits of each device.

Staying with HHB’s own products, a new version of the CDR-882 DualBurn CD Recorder is on show, along with the UDP-89 Universal DVD/CD Player, which delivers a unique blend of high level audio and video performance, combined with rugged build quality and a full complement of professional audio and video interfaces all in a 1U rack.

Perhaps the best evidence of the unique position occupied by HHB as Europe’s leading supplier of audio technology is the HHB Catalogue. Available both in print and online formats, the Catalogue has grown to become an essential reference guide for broadcast professionals to everything that’s important in audio technology. The new, 2009/10 HHB Catalogue is hot off the press, and bigger and better than ever. Visiting delegates are invited to collect their free copy at the HHB stand, where they can also enter a free competition to win a UDP-89 DVD/CD Player.

“Much of our work today involves assisting broadcasters and content providers in realising the advantages of a 5.1 file-based workflow, and configuring systems that might typically include the Soundfield SPS200 microphone for acquisition, Pro Tools V8 for post production and Dolby DP600 for transmission be it HD, IPTV or mobile”, comments HHB’s Broadcast Sales Manager Martin O’Donnell. “With supplementary tools for loudness correction, transcoding, upmixing, metering, surround sound headphone and loudspeaker monitoring, we see our roll as pulling together the various technologies and understanding the issues on behalf of our customers, and look forward to discussing these exciting new possibilities in audio production alongside others such as IP codec developments with visitors to IBC.”

Available alongside O’Donnell and his team are staff members from Scrub, the specialist division of HHB focused specifically on the audio technology requirements of the post-production industry.